Apple announce new music streaming service

Apple have announced a new music streaming service that they hope will rival Spotify.

Apple music will feature all music available on iTunes as well as a number of live radio stations. The App will also feature recommendations based on your favorite artists and listening habits, much the same as Spotify.

So what will set Apple Music apart from Spotify to give it an edge? Not a lot is the answer. The App will feature a function that allows unsigned artists to upload their music to the service, potentially unlocking a huge audience in a format currently unavailable outside of standalone sites. There will also be a voice activated function, utilizing Siri, allowing users to tell the app what to play but this seems little more than gimmick at the moment. The service will also cost the same as Spotify so it's hard to see why anyone would switch without further incentive.

One thing that will no doubt get users to at least try the service is the additional announcement that the App will be automatically loaded onto all Apple devices, no doubt getting the curious out there to at least give it a tap. It has also been announced that the service will be free for the first three months which will draw in a few more listeners.

Apple Music is set to launch later this month (June 2015) in 100 countries on iOS, Mac and Windows with an Android App set for release later in the year. The service will cost $9.99 per month, the same as Spotify. A Family payment option for up to six people will be available at $14.99 per month, hinting that they will be monitoring use on multiple devices.

A streaming war is coming, let's just hope it's for the good of the music.